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Three twelve-year-olds are gathered in a bathroom, copying a diagram from a book onto the floor in chalk.
"Do you know what all this writing means?" asks the green-eyed boy.
"No," says the bushy-haired girl, "and that worries me too, but we need to find out who the Heir of Slytherin is and this ritual is the best we've got."
Eventually, one or another of them draws the last bit of the outer circle.
"Ah-huh. So you're making decisions in loco parentis and not even informing anybody with a direct interest in the matter."
"There's no-one it would be a good idea to inform. In the absence of any living magical relatives, I am his legal guardian in the magical world until he comes of age."
"Why hasn't someone adopted him, if his existing family is checked out and you're not even trying to include them and they're legal non-entities and it's so important his guardians be magical?"
"The situation is complicated. Suffice it to say that he needs to live with his relatives for his own good."
"And he certainly didn't seem intimidated last year. Perhaps you should tell him."
"Perhaps when he has learned enough occlumency to prevent less trustworthy parties from finding out."
"...are you talking about his, uh, headmate, or are other people going around reading minds?"
"The art of legilimency allows a wizard to read surface thoughts or memories from an undefended mind. Voldemort was adept at it, and some of his followers may know it as well."
"I have never heard of one making the attempt, but it involves no explicit spell-casting. It's purely a mental discipline. If you want to try, I will be interested in seeing whether it works."
"There are books of exercises you can try before practicing with a legilimens. The Strong and Quiet Mind is a good introduction, I believe."
"Alright. What's the next order of business? I assume we want to destroy the other anchors, but possibly not tonight."
"Just so. I expect them to be heavily protected and that destroying them will take some time. Besides learning occlumency, mister Swan, what are your plans for the future?"
"...wait a second, are you sure destroying the other anchors will not make the one on Harry's head angry?"
"Destroying the diary had no apparent effect. When I have located another one and examined it myself it will become clearer whether it's safe to destroy them immediately or if they will need to wait."
"Yes, unfortunately I have some understanding of this sort of dark magic, though I had hoped never to need it. If only Riddle had accepted his mortality . . . but it was not to be."
"There was the philosopher's stone, until recently, but only two people ever succeeded in creating one."
...checking... damn. "And it has terrible bandwidth? Feel free to refer me to books, by the by."
"If you intend to remain at Hogwarts, you can take advantage of our extensive library."
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